Set Me Free
by Horus.Potter
Summary: Harry awakens from a horrible nightmare.  When his mom and dad come in to comfort him he can't shake the horrible feelings of the nightmare.  Who was that man? Why does he feel so anxious? What does it mean? Will this panic ever subside?


Disclaimer: I do not own HP. Take it up with Rowling ^_^

AN: Movie Centric (eighth movie to be exact). Concept loosely based on a certain final season of a tv series. Won't say which one but just be aware I'm not trying to be a thief xox

Set Me Free:

"We'll finish this the way we started. Together!" Harry grabbed the Dark Lord and propelled them both off of the bridge, falling quickly into blackness.

Harry woke gasping for air. He was sweaty and out of breath as though he had run a very long distance very quickly. There were tears streaming down his face and he fought to collect himself. He still felt as though he was falling despite the security of feeling his bed below him, his blankets on top of him.

"Harry?"

That voice. He knew that voice. But how?

A door opened and two figures were silhouetted in the light from the hall. A house? How did he get here? He was… What was he doing? The dream was falling from him like sand through an hour glass.

"Harry honey? You were thrashing about. Are you okay?"

A light came on overhead. He could barely see. He reached for his glasses as the

woman sat next to him.

"Mom?" he felt the word catch in his throat.

Lily's face showed briefly with a mixture of sadness and understanding. Harry wasn't

sure he didn't imagine it. "Harry." She said, brushing his sweaty hair back from his face.

"Have a nightmare son?" The man came into the room too, looking concerned.

"Dad?" That word felt foreign too.

"Should we go to St. Mungos?" Harry looked at the man speaking. James. His father. He then looked back to his mother. Lily.

"I'm fine dad." he said, his breathing normal. "I can barely remember the dream anymore."

Harry threw his arms around his mother, surprising her in his haste. He breathed deeply, remembering her fragrant shampoo and natural scent.

"I love you." he said and he wasn't sure why but he began to cry.

He leapt to his father next. "I love you dad."

"Son, we love you too." the pressure of his fathers hug relaxed him.

"Get some sleep honey. See you in the morning." Lily kissed his forehead and James messed his hair.

Harry didn't know why but he panicked when they left - like he'd never see them again. He heard the door to their room close and he knew they were right there, but he felt empty somehow. He didn't sleep. He lay quietly in bed and struggled to listen to the sounds of his parents breathing.

Harry stumbled out of bed the next morning; exhausted. He had never actually slept. He couldn't shake the knots in his stomach. He felt like crawling into his parents room and sobbing - and it was all that horrible dreams' fault. Harry felt desperate - fragile.

He tried to think about his reality. He was seventeen years old, his last year at Hogwarts began today. His best friends, Ron and Hermione. His girlfriend, Ginny. His Godfather, Sirius. His Aunt and Uncle whom he'd met maybe twice and their awful son Dudley. His "uncle" Lupin and his wife Tonks and their baby on the way.

He took gaping breaths as he walked around his house. Godric's Hollow. Where he grew up. Where he played. Him and Ginny walked these streets on holiday. He snuck into the pub with Ron and Hermione last Christmas. This was his home - his life. So why did he feel so scared? Like everything was going to be torn away from him?

He heard his parents moving about upstairs and he sat down at the kitchen table trying to look as though he had slept. Finally he heard his mother descend the stairs and saw her enter into the kitchen.

"Morning love." she said, kissing the top of his unruly head.

"Hello." his voice was scratchy - the knots in his stomach had spread to his chest and throat.

Lily put a hand on his cheek and stared at him with a small, sympathetic smile.

James entered the room yawning. "Morning family."

"Who's hungry?" Lily smiled. "Sirius is meeting us in London."

Harry managed to push aside the horrible feelings long enough to pretend he was enjoying breakfast.

"So son, are you excited to see Ginny?" James asked with a wink.

Harry smiled somewhat. "Yea. God I've missed her." And he felt that longing again.

"You only saw her last week." James smirked.

"Young love." Lily said, putting her hand in James's.

Harry nodded noncommittally.

"Oh! We best be off. Train leaves at eleven." Lily said.

"Too bad apparating with luggage is such a pain." James sighed.

"You love driving." Lily said breezily.

"But I'm not even supposed to use all the awesome enchantments me and Sirius added or

Arthur would have to come raid us and how would that look?" James raised one eyebrow.

Lily rolled her eyes. The three loaded Harry's things into the Mazda. Lily agreed that

the undetectable extension charm was a good idea.

The drive to Kings Cross Station flew by and Harry wondered if this feeling of impending doom would ever ebb. He figured it must be due to lack of sleep and that he would have a nice long sleep tonight.

"Ah Sirius is… here." James paused and Lily smiled.

"You understand James?" she had a tear in her eye.

He nodded, holding her hand. Harry witnessed this transaction and wished he knew what it meant. Why was seeing Uncle Sirius something to understand?

"James." The word came from Sirius as though they hadn't seen each other in years.

As they embraced Harry's vision faltered. Sirius in Azkaban robes? Hugging Harry at Christmas? A veil. He shook his head attempting to clear it.

"Soon Harry." Sirius said, his hands on Harry's shoulders.

"Sirius." Lily's tone held warning.

"Come on. The platform awaits." James said, pushing the trolley.

The familiar smoke of Platform 9 ¾ engulfed Harry. He saw the familiar faces: Lavender, Collin, Cedric… Cedric Diggory?

"He graduated." Harry said.

No one heard him. Ced may have been dating an underclassman; Harry shrugged it off.

"Harry!" two voice exclaimed.

"Lupin! Tonks!" he knew before turning around; there voices as familiar to him as his own. He embraced them both.

"Come to see you off." Tonks smiled.

Lupin's face had the same sad smile on it that Lily's had the previous night. Or was Harry imagining that as well?

"Yes, I except you wont want to miss this train." he said.

"I'm a bit nervous." Harry admitted.

"You'll do great." Tonks said, her voice taking on a rare note of seriousness.

Harry, with the help of James and Sirius, loaded his trunk onto the train. He went back to the platform where his entourage was standing, speaking easily.

"Well, see you later." he said lamely.

"I love you so much. My brave, brave boy." Lily hugged Harry and he felt his eyes prickle with tears.

"Harry!" He turned at the sound of his name. Ginny.

He smiled at her, his heart feeling lighter than it had all day. He embraced her tightly then held her at arms length, staring at her. "I've missed you Ginny."

"Oh Harry!" She hugged him as again. "I love you." she whispered.

They had never said that to one another, he realized, but it felt right.

"Where's Ron and Hermione?" he asked.

Lily was wiping her eyes. As though summoned by their names Ron and Hermione emerged from the mist, hand in hand. Harry was bombarded by memories - dreams? - a chess set, basilisk, hippogriff, graveyard, prophecy, horcrux, the forbidden forest, a bridge, Lord Voldemort.

Harry stumbled.

"No." he breathed.

He realized why he'd had the horrible feeling of discontent. This was not real. His parents were dead. Sirius was dead. Lupin. Tonks. Cedric. And it was all Voldemort's fault. All of it. He looked at his parents sympathetic faces. They knew. They had figured it out. This wasn't reality, unless…

"Am I dead?" he asked.

Hermione was crying and ran to hug him.

"But you guys." he held onto Ginny's hand for dear life. "You're not dead."

"We're not here Harry." Ron said.

"Not yet." Ginny added with a pitying curve of her lip.

"But…" His head swam.

"All aboard."

"Come with us Harry." Hermione pleaded.

"But." he stared at his parents, Sirius, Lupin, Tonks.

He looked to the train and saw people he hadn't noticed before: Seamus, Dean, Neville, Malfoy, all boarding the train.

"It's time to go Harry." Lily said.

"You'll be fine." James added.

"But I could stay?" Harry asked.

"We need you." Ron spoke.

"We'll be together when you get back." Lily promised.

"All of us." Sirius vowed, his arms around James and Lupin.

"Come on." Ginny squeezed his hand. "If we miss the train… there won't be another one."

Harry tore from Ginny to his mother and father.

"I'll come back." he didn't know why but he felt this was important to say.

"We'll never be apart." Lily whispered, her voice raspy.

"Last call Harry." Hermione's voice was anxious.

"I'm coming."

With a final look at everyone who had died, whom he loved, he boarded the train. The

doors closed but the wind whooshed into his ears. With a jolt he remembered he had fallen. He saw his wand a foot away; Voldemort was reaching for his own. Harry could see his parents, feel their love. He grabbed his wand.

"Expelliarmus!"

"Avada Kedavra!"

The Dark Lord crumbled outwardly as Harry crumbled inward. He saw his parents in his

minds eye. At last, the boy who lived, could rest.

Harry found himself at the train station, exciting the Hogwarts express for the last time. He smiled. He knew what it meant this time.

"Hi mom. Dad." his parents greeted him with open arms.

"Harry. We missed you."

"Ron and Hermione with you?"

Harry smiled, "And Ginny too."

"My grandbabies?" Lily asked.

"They'll be along."

Lily smiled fondly. "Come on. Let's go home."


End file.
